2022 - 2026 Council Priorities

2022 - 2026 | Council Priorities

Newmarket Council 2022

MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL

We have just concluded an extremely challenging term of Council, managing our way through COVID and uncertain financial times. We are proud to say that through all of those challenges, Newmarket stayed focused and significantly advanced our goal of building one of the best communities in Canada. We finalized the design for the Mulock Park, we concluded the Shining Hill agreement, creating a new leading environmental community with affordable and seniors housing. We also attracted and negotiated an agreement with Streetcar Developments to create the Postmark Hotel on Main Street, transforming the historic Clock Tower into York Region’s first boutique hotel. Now, we turn our attention to the next term of Council by setting our Strategic Community Priorities for 2022-2026. Our goal in the end is simple. What we work towards every day is to have you, the people who have contributed to making Newmarket the extraordinary place that it is today, continue to tell us how much you love living here. Achieving that simple outcome requires long-term planning and strategic partnerships, which are reflected in our strategic priorities. We know we must build amazing parks and trails, we know we must protect our environment and address climate change, we know we must have a strong local economy, and we know we must strive to be the most inclusive and welcoming community in Canada. This document will guide us over the next four years and beyond to make sure Newmarket continues to be one of the best communities in the country and most importantly, the place you love to call home!

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that the Town of Newmarket is located on the traditional territories of the Wendat, Haudenosaunee, and the Anishinaabe peoples and the treaty land of the Williams Treaties First Nations and other Indigenous peoples whose presence here continues to this day. We thank them for sharing this land with us. We also acknowledge the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation as our close neighbours and friends, and we work to ensure a cooperative and respectful relationship.

Top row: Councillor Victor Woodhouse, Councillor Kelly Broome, Councillor Bob Kwapis, Mayor John Taylor, Deputy Mayor and Regional Councillor Tom Vegh, Councillor Grace Simon

Bottom row: Councillor Trevor Morrison, Councillor Christina Bisanz and Councillor Jane Twinney

How will we get there?

Council Priorities, 2022 – 2026

The following priorities will guide us as we continue to make Newmarket one of the best places in the country to live, work and raise a family.

Community and economic vibrancy

Attracting and retaining amazing people and businesses to ensure Newmarket’s long-term viability through sustainable jobs, while creating a strong and unique brand that differentiates Newmarket from other communities.

• Create a differentiating brand strategy and implementation plan for the enhancement of the arts in Newmarket, strengthening Newmarket’s reputation as a vibrant place to live for entrepreneurs, artists, and knowledge workers, building a strong local and innovative economy.

• Explore the re-development and re-purposing of the former Operations Centre (Timothy Street) into a thriving community hub for innovation, arts and entrepreneurialism.

• Implement a pilot project that explores pedestrianizing downtown Newmarket.

• Promote Newmarket as a prime location to start new businesses and boost economic activity by strengthening existing partnerships, while also seeking new ones.

Customer-first way of life (enhanced by technology)

Ensuring the community has timely access to services that enhance their quality of life.

• Create a corporate app for residents to continue to improve communication and access to services.

• Advance smart city initiatives to address street safety, track service delivery and to promote public engagement using mobile first and real time technology applications.

• Ensure technology investments provide elevated, easy to use customer experiences.

• Redesign the Town of Newmarket website for an improved user experience while also offering additional online services.

Local peformance arts group Chosen Hands performs at Newmarket’s Old Town Hall

Newmarket’s award-winning Main Street offers a wide variety of eclectic restaurants and shops (Hungry Brew Hops, pictured).

Community and economic vibrancy

Customer-first way of life

Extraordinary places and spaces

Environmental sustainability Diverse, inclusive and welcoming

Extraordinary places and spaces

Creating exceptional experiences for the community in shared and accessible public spaces.

• Open and enthusiastically program the Mulock park and house, a community landmark for current and future generations.

• Continue to add vibrancy to Mulock Drive with the completion of the Mulock Multi-use path.

• Create Town events and initiatives that lead the way in terms of variety and building strong partnerships.

• Deliver exciting parks, trails and facilities projects throughout the Town.

Environmental sustainability

Preserving our environmental assets and addressing climate change for our future generations.

• Update the Community Energy Plan to ensure the Town leads in climate action.

• Continue to create more cycling and walking options throughout the community.

• Be proactive by preparing and planning for changing climate conditions.

• Protect and enhance green space in the Town for future generations.

Diverse, welcoming and inclusive community

Building a strong, healthy, and equitable community where everyone feels an unwavering sense of belonging.

• Continue our strong commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion through engagement, education and action resulting in meaningful change.

• Support and facilitate diverse groups to ensure all voices are heard in order to promote inclusion and equity.

• Implement the Action Plan to dismantle anti-Black racism.

• Identify ways to measure engagement and success, aligned with being an inclusive community.

Community Harvest Picnic at the historic Mulock Property

BRIGHTfuture ahead!

Guided by the priorities outlined in this report, we can begin to envision the bright future that lies ahead for this amazing community. A few years down the road, Newmarket will have established itself as the place to live for creative entrepreneurs, innovators and artists. Newmarket will continue to be a ‘green’ community, both in how we look and in how we act, shaped by our strong commitment to the environment. We will have made significant progress in working with other levels of government to create housing options for everyone. We will also have taken big steps forward on our path towards being one of the most Inclusive communities in Canada, making sure everyone sees Newmarket as a welcoming place to call home. We will continue to set ourselves apart as one of the best places to live and work in Canada through our strong leadership in sustainability, arts and culture, our award-winning events and our innovative economy. The community will buzz with creative energy. The landmark Mulock park will be open and in full swing, alive with events, art and music. There are many more chapters to our story and we look forward to writing them together as we create a new path to our extraordinary future!